because he confined himself to her natural ftrength, the encouragement of her manufactures, and the improvement of the intrinfic and natural advantages with which Providence has bleffed that kingdom above all the rest of Europe; not vainly attempting to make it go out from itself, in forcing it to be, what nature and its fituation never defigned it, the firft maritime power; because then it would naturally weaken its military ftrength, which is very neceffary to fupport itfelf against the powerful kingdoms that furround it, and are, not without reafon, jealous of its too much increafing power: befides, a well regulated and dif. ciplined military force is very ne. ceffary to keep fo lively a people in due order and fubordination.

He kept France in peace very near his whole adminiftration, which was above twenty-feven

Some account of Mrs. Thomas, the celebrated Corinna; from the 12th volume, or Supplement to the General Biographical Dictionary lately published.

HOMAS (Mrs.) known to

fort of war in 1734; and that, by his very able head and humane difpofition, he hindered from fpreading, and finished without making it general, and of courfe prevented a devaftation and flaughter of mankind. It is true, upon the death of the emperor, the queen of Hungary's father, he was, fomehow or other, brought into a war in his very old age, with the reft of the Germanic princes, about the divifion of the territories of that illuftrious and magnanimous princefs; foon after which he died, at the age of eightyfour.

In all human probability, had he lived, and retained his parts and understanding, which is not very common at fo very great an age, he would have finished it

name of Corinna, was the child of an ancient and infirm parent, who gave her life when he was dying himself, and to whofe unhappy conftitution fhe was fole heiress. From her very birth, which happened in 1675, he was afflicted with fevers and defluxions, and, being overnurfed, her conftitution was fo delicate and tender, that, had she not been of a gay difpofition, and poffeffed of a vigorous mind, the muft have been more unhappy than she actually was.

Her father dying when she was fcarce two years old, and her mother not knowing his real circumftances, as he was fuppofed, from the splendour of his manner of life, to be very rich, fome inconveniences were incurred, in beftowing

upon

upon him a pompous funeral, which in thofe times was fashionable. The mother of our poetefs, in the bloom of eighteen, was condemned to the arms of this man, upwards of fixty, upon the fuppofition of his being wealthy, but in which he was foon miferably deceived. She difpofed of two houfes her husband kept, one in town, the other in the county of Effex, and retired into a private, but decent, country lodging. The houfe where fhe boarded was an eminent clothworker's in the county of Surry, but the people of the houfe proved very difagreeable. The lady had no converfation to divert her; the landlord was an illiterate man, and the reft of the family brutish, and unmannerly. At laft Mrs. Thomas attracted the notice of Dr. Glyffon, who obferving her at church very fplendidly dreffed, folicited her acquaintance. He was a valuable piece of antiquity, being then, 1683, 100 years of age. His per. fon was tall, his bones very large, his hair like fnow, a venerable afpect, and a complexion which might fhame the bloom of fifteen. He enjoyed a found judgment, and a memory fo tenacious, and clear, that his company was very engaging. His vifts greatly alleviated the folitude of this lady. The laft vifit he made to Mrs. Thomas, he drew on, with much attention, a pair of rich Spanish leather gloves, emboft on the backs and tops with gold embroidery, and fringed round with gold. The lady could not help expreffing her curiofity, to know the hiftory of thofe gloves, which he feemed to touch with fo much refpect. He answered, "I do refpect them, for the last time I had the honour of approaching my

miftrefs, queen Elizabeth, the pul led them from her own royal hands, faying, here Glyffon, wear them for my fake. I have done fo with veneration, and never drew them on, but when I had a mind to honour thofe whom I vifit, as I now do you; and fince you love the memory of my royal mistress, take them, and preferve them carefully when I am gone." The doctor then went home, and died in a few days.

This gentleman's death left her again without a companion, and an uneafinefs hung upon her, visible to the people of the houfe; who gueffing the caufe to proceed from folitude, recommended to her acquaintance another phyfician, of a different caft from the former. He was denominated by them a conjurer, and was faid to be capable of raifing the devil. This circumftance diverted Mrs. Thomas, who imagined that the man whom they called a conjurer, muft have more fenfe than they understood. The doctor was invited to vifit her, and appeared in a greafy black grogram, which he called his fcholar's coat; a long beard; and other marks of a philofophical negligence. He brought all his little mathematical trinkets, and played over his tricks for the diverfion of the lady, whom, by a private whifper, he let into the fecrets as he performed them, that the might fee there was nothing of magic in the cafe. The two moft remarkable articles of his performance were, firft lighting a candle at a glafs of cold water, performed by touching the brim before with phofphorus, a chymical fire which is preferved in water and burns there; and next reading the fmalleft print by a candle of fix in

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because he confined himself to her natural ftrength, the encouragement of her manufactures, and the improvement of the intrinfic and natural advantages with which Providence has bleffed that kingdom above all the rest of Europe; not vainly attempting to make it go out from itself, in forcing it to -be, what nature and its fituation never defigned it, the first maritime power; because then it would naturally weaken its military ftrength, which is very neceffary to fupport itfelf against the powerful kingdoms that furround it, and are, not without reafon, jealous of its too much increafing power: befides, a well regulated and difciplined military force is very ne ceffary to keep fo lively a people in due order and fubordination.

He kept France in peace very near his whole adminiftration, which was above twenty-feven

a

much fooner. France in that war was very fuccefsful in Flanders, though not in Germany, or by fea; and, in the writer's opinion, it was no ways advantageous to France upon the whole; for the recived more real benefit by that moft fenfible treaty whereby the acquired Lorrain, made by this great and honeft minifter, than by all its conquefts of that rich and fertile country of Auftrian Flanders.

In a word, moft governments have more territory and country than they improve and make good use of.

Some account of Mrs. Thomas, the celebrated Corinna; from the 12th volume, or Supplement to the General Biographical Dictionary lately published.

to

war in 1734; and that, by his very able head and humane difpofition, he hindered from fpreading, and finished without making it general, and of courfe prevented a devastation and slaughter of mankind. It is true, upon the death of the emperor, the queen of Hungary's father, he was, fomehow or other, brought into a war in his very old age, with the reft of the Germanic princes, about the divifion of the territories of that illuftrious and magnanimous princefs; foon after which he died, at the age of eightyfour.

In all human probability, had he lived, and retained his parts and understanding, which is not very common at fo very great an age, he would have finished it

by the poetical

name of Corinna, was the child of an ancient and infirm parent, who gave her life when he was dying himself, and to whofe unhappy conftitution fhe was fole heirefs. From her very birth, which happened in 1675, he was afflicted with fevers and defluxions, and, being overnurfed, her conftitution was fo delicate and tender, that, had the not been of a gay difpofition, and poffeffed of a vigorous mind, the muft have been more unhappy than fhe actually was.

Her father dying when she was fcarce two years old, and her mo. ther not knowing his real circumftances, as he was fuppofed, from the fplendour of his manner of life, to be very rich, fome inconveniences were incurred, in beftowing

upon

upon him a pompous funeral, which in thofe times was fashionable. The mother of our poetefs, in the bloom of eighteen, was condemned to the arms of this man, upwards of fixty, upon the fuppofition of his being wealthy, but in which he was foon miferably deceived. She difpofed of two houfes her husband kept, one in town, the other in the county of Effex, and retired into a private, but decent, country lodging. The houfe where fhe boarded was an eminent clothworker's in the county of Surry, but the people of the houfe proved very difagreeable. The lady had no converfation to divert her; the landlord was an illiterate man, and the reft of the family brutish, and unmannerly. At laft Mrs. Thomas attracted the notice of Dr. Glyffon, who obferving her at church very fplendidly dreffed, folicited her acquaintance. He was a valuable piece of antiquity, being then, 1683, 100 years of age. per. fon was tall, his bones very large, his hair like fnow, a venerable afpect, and a complexion which might shame the bloom of fifteen. He enjoyed a found judgment, and a memory fo tenacious, and clear, that his company was very engag ing. His vifits greatly alleviated the folitude of this lady. The laft vifit he made to Mrs. Thomas, he drew on, with much attention, a pair of rich Spanish leather gloves, emboft on the backs and tops with gold embroidery, and fringed round with gold. The lady could not help expreffing her curiofity, to know the hiftory of thofe gloves, which he feemed to touch with fo much refpect. He anfwered, "I do refpect them, for the last time I had the honour of approaching my

His

miftrefs, queen Elizabeth, the pul led them from her own royal hands, faying, here Glyffon, wear them for my fake. I have done fo with veneration, and never drew them on, but when I had a mind to ho.. nour those whom I vifit, as I now do you; and fince you love the memory of my royal miftrefs, take them, and preferve them carefully when I am gone." The doctor then went home, and died in a few days.

This gentleman's death left her again without a companion, and an uneafinefs hung upon her, vifible to the people of the houfe; who gueffing the caufe to proceed from folitude, recommended to her acquaintance another phyfician, of a different caft from the former. He was denominated by them a conjurer, and was faid to be capable of raifing the devil. This circumftance diverted Mrs. Thomas, who imagined that the man whom they called a conjurer, must have more fenfe than they understood. The doctor was invited to vifit her, and appeared in a greafy black grogram, which he called his fcholar's coat; a long beard; and other marks of a philofophical negligence. brought all his little mathematical trinkets, and played over his tricks for the diverfion of the lady, whom, by a private whisper, he let into the fecrets as he performed them, that the might fee there was nothing of magic in the cafe. The two moft remarkable articles of his performance were, first lighting a candle at a glafs of cold water, performed by touching the brim before with phofphorus, a chymical fire which is preferved in water and burns there; and next reading the fmalleft print by a candle of fix in

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the

the pound, at 100 yards diftance in the open air, and darkest night. This was performed by a large concave glafs, with a deep-pointed focus, quick-filvered on the backfide, and fet in tin, with a focket for a candle, sconce fashion, and hung up against a wall. While the flame of the candle was diametrically oppofite to the center, the rays, equal ly diverging, gave fo powerful a light as is fcarce credible; but on the leaft variation of the focus the charm ceased.

The lady, difcerning in this man a genius which might be improved to better purposes than deceiving the country people, defired him not to hide his talents, but to push himfelf in the world by the abilities of which he feemed poffeffed. "Madam, faid he, I am now a fiddle to affes; but I am finishing a great work which will make thofe affes fiddle to me." She then afked what the work might be? He replied, "His life was at stake if it took air; but he found her a lady of fuch uncommon candour and good fenfe, that he fhould make no difficulty in committing his life and hope to her keeping.' All women are naturally fond of being trufted with fecrets: this was Mrs. Thomas's failing; the doctor found it out, and made her pay dear for her curiofity. "I have been, continued he, many years in fearch of the philofopher's ftone, and long mafter of the fmaragdine table of Hermes Trifmegiftus; the green and red dragons of Raymond Lully have alfo been obedient to me, and the illuftrious fages themfelves deign to vifit me; yet it is but fince I had the honour to be known to your ladyfhip, that I have been fo fortunate as to obtain

the grand fecret of projection. I tranfmuted fome lead I pulled off my window laft night into this bit of gold." of gold." Pleafed with the fight of this, and having a natural pro. penfion to the ftudy, the lady fnatched it out of the philofopher's hand, and asked why he had not more? He replied, "It was all the lead he could find." She then commanded her daughter to bring a parcel of lead which lay in the clofet, and, giving it to the chymift, defired him to tranfmute it into gold on the morrow, undertook it, and the next day brought her an ingot which weighed two ounces, which, with the ut moft folemnity, he avowed was the very individual lead she gave him, tranfmuted to gold,

He

She began now to engage him in ferious difcourfe; and finding, by his replies, that he wanted mo, ney to make more powder, the enquired how much would make a ftock that would maintain itself? He replied, fifty pounds, after nine months, would produce a million. She then begged the ingot of him, which he protefted had been tranf muted from lead, and, flushed with the hopes of fuccefs, hurried to town to know whether the ingot was true gold, which proved fine beyond the ftandard. The lady, now fully convinced of the truth of the empyric's declaration, took fifty pounds out of the hands of a banker, and entrufted him with it. The only difficulty, which remained, was, how to carry on the work without fufpicion, it being strictly prohibited at that time. He was therefore refolved to take a little houfe in another county, at a few miles diftance from London, where he was to build a public laborato